Man pleads innocent to endangerment

Staff report

Struthers

A man charged with child endangerment and domestic violence involving his 13-year-old stepbrother pleaded innocent in Struthers Municipal Court Monday and is free on bond.

Justin Jones, 23, of Narcissa Street in Struthers appeared in court Monday morning. He posted $600 total, 10 percent of a $5,000 bond on the endangerment charge and on a $1,000 bond on the domestic-violence charge.

He will appear in court again April 23 for trial on the two misdemeanors.

Struthers Police reported they got a call Thursday from Children Services Board officials about the case. The elementary school had notified CSB.

A caseworker told police that Thursday night, Jones hit the boy in the face and the back of his head, then made him drive with him to Boardman to pick up a family member.

Around 10:30 p.m., Jones told the boy to get out of the car somewhere between Southern Boulevard and Market Street. He told the boy, “If you think you’re a real man, find your way home from here,” the police report says.

The caseworker also told police the boy was hit with an extension cord across his left thigh, and welts were still visible.

Police arrested Jones at his home Friday. He spent the weekend in jail.

Jones is also charged with aggravated assault in a Jan. 15 attack on his brother-in-law. A police report says Jones hit the man in the face with a pair of vice grips.

in a fight about a woman. The man’s nose was broken, and his face was cut.